Vehicle body construction



i945- 1:)x RENNO 2,383,417

VEHICLE B ODY CONSTRUCTiON Original Filed Sept. l8, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l fzwenior D. G. Henna D. G. RENNO Aug. 21, 1945.

Fild Sept. 18, 1941 5 She ets-Sheet 2 Original Aug. 21, 1945.

D. G. RENNO VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept; 18, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 D, G. RENNQ VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Aug. 21, 1945 Original Filed Sept. 18, 1941- 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 21, 1945. D G. RENNO VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 18, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 21, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Donald Renno, New Haven, IncL, assignor to International Harvester Company, a. corporation of New Jersey original application September 18, 1941, .Serial No. 411,272; v Divided and this application Octo her 8. i942, serial No. 461,277-

2 Claims; 296 -28) Another object is to form sheet metal. arts making up a metal body in such a manner that portions are joined to form reenforcements for door pillar-sand other openings; also, to provide the equivalent of sills for the body and supporting means for the seat of the vehicle.

These objects and others which will be apparent are obtained by providing sections and joining them in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper front 3 section or unit that forms the windshield opening and the cowl and the side members which form one part of the front pillars;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showingstructure of Figure 1 installed in place witha' second or dash unit and with the front frame sillssecured Figure 5 is a three-quarter perspective view of the entire assembled cab structure; 7 t

Figure 6 is a detailed section taken on the line 5--6ofFigure5; and Figure 7 is a perspective viewof the front sill member shown in Figure 3. n a

The body shown in the drawings is of the unit type constructed entirely of steel and welded together primarily by resistance welding, although arc welding, gas welding, or brazing may be applied at certain junctures of the contacting members to strengthen the joints. The panels are designed to form box-like sections at locations where strength is required. The body may be considered of the frameless type, since there is no separate frame, and the body is self-supporting in that the sheet metal members provide the entire framework and support.

Referring to Figure 1, the inner front panel or unit is illustrated, This panel is provided with an cut-turned flange which provides the windthe details of the windshield mounting having been omitted. As shown in Fig. 6 the flange 20 is provided with a short extension flange 20' which lie parallel tothe plane of the windshield glass 2| extending completely around the windshield opening. An upwardly extending flange 2| above the top of the windshield opening is provided with a rearwardly turned flange 22 for connection with the top panel, to be later described. Along the sides or ends of the windshield opening, the inner front panel is formed with curved flange portions 23 terminating in portions 24, which form the upper inside portion of the door openings and cooperate with other parts of the structure,

to be later described, to form the upper portion of 15 the door pillar. I l

Th windshield opening is shown as of the type accommodatinga V-shaped windshield. Atthe inside of the windshield opening, an instrument panel 24 is formed and extends inwardly and downwardly and is provided at the inside lower end with a rearwardly extending flange 25. This flange is provided at eachv end with a down-turned extension 26 that is secured to a lower door pillar member or leg 21, This member overlaps the lower portion of the curved portions 23, and is preferably secured thereto by welding. A forwardly turned flange 28 on each member 21 provides for attachment of the extension 26. A

. rearwardly bent portion 29 atthe lower end of each member 21 provides means for attaching these members to a front sill member 30, as illuspanel 3I.- As best shown in Figure 3, lower brace members 35 are secured to the flanges 28 and extend forwardly, being secured to the front dash panel 3|. and to the front sill members30. The front sill members 30 are also extended upwardly and are welded to the inside of the dash panel member 3| near its bottom end.

Figure 4 shows a third or front cowl section or unit added to the structure of Figure 2. Said section is provided with a flange 36, as shown in Fig. 6, having an extension flange 31' mating with the flange 20' of the inside front section and secured thereto. The flanges 20 and 31' form a head over which a channeled rubber windshield retaining member 26' is fitted. Said member is The flange 25 lies against and is secured to the flange portion 24 of the portion 23. At the front, the cowl section is turned downwardlyand' is joined to the upper portion i the ont ash panel 3| along the flange 32.

At each side, a front side panel member 3Tis joined to the member 21, to the horizontal end imum number of parts with maximum strength and eliminating many of the parts heretofore utilized in the construction of all-steel cabs.

It is to be understood that applicant claims as his invention all modifications in metal body construction fallingwithinthe scope oi the appended claims,

What is mined is: l. A front end construction for a frameless unit 'metal body for automotive vehicles comprising, an

'inner front panel having a windshield opening therein, said panel being formed with a flange extending ,entirely around the windshield opening,

portions of the cowl member, and. to; the ends of the front dash panel.

Referring to Figure 5, the outside rear panel includes a rear outside back portion 38, forwardly curved corner or side portions 39, and a for- Wardly curved top portion 40. As shown, the top portion is secured to a roof panel H. Said panel is formed at the front opening with a flange adapted to be secured to the top flange above the windshield opening to complete the frame for the windshield. A rear opening 43 is formed in the upperportion of the back of the rear panel section.

The inner rear panel is adapted to fit within the rear section in spaced relation to strengthen and reenforce the rear panel. This structure is shown and claimed in my copending application, Patent No. 2,311,129, Feb. 16, 1943,'of which this present application is a division. The inner rear panel section is also provided with out-turned flanges adapted to mate with flanges on the rear panel section to provide a rear door pillar H. A seat box and rear-bottom member 5| are formed with a raised portion for supporting the seat cushion of the vehicle. A panel'member 60, ex

tending from the front of the cab to the rear section, extends'below the bottom of the door and connects the front and rear sections, as will presently appear.

It will be noted by inspection of Figures 3, 5, and 7 that the front side sill member 30 is the same shape in cross-section as the side of the seat box 5| and has flanges and walls corresponding to the parts of this box. The rear end of the front sill member 30 overlaps the section of the seat box and is secured by welding, as described in my copending application referred to above. It will be noted that the member 30 has a curved edge' 65 on its horizontal portion, which fits around a curved forward portion of the seat box 5|. The lower edge of the sill 30 is secured to the member 60 to form a continuation thereof. It is to be understood that the complete details of every joint have not been shown, and it may be stated thatit is customary to fill in joints where elements are closely adjacent with welding material where flanges are not provided. By the construction as above set forth, applicant has simplified the construction of a cab, utilizing a minsaid flange having-an extension flange lying parallel to the plane of the windshield glass, said inper] panel having an upwardly-extending portion provided with a rearwardly-turned roof attaching flange lying in the plane of the vehicle roof, an outer front panel including a cowl portion and front pillar portions, said portions having an inturned flange extending around the ends and bottom of the windshield opening, said inturned flange being provided with an extension attaching flange lying in contact With the corresponding extension flange on the inner panel, and a roof panel having a front end portion 'overlapping the upper portion of the inner front panel'and'joined to the pillarportion's of the outer frontpanel, said roof panel having an attaching flange mating with the corresponding portion of the inner panel extension flange around the upperportionof the windshield opening, the rearwardly-turned .roof attaching flangefof the inner; panel. being' joined to the inner side oftheroof panel.

2. A front end construction (for a frameless unit metal body for automotive vehicles comprising, an inner front panel having a windshield opening therein, said panel being. formed-witha flange extending entirely around the windshield opening, said flange having ,a s hort extensionv flange lying parallel to the plane of the windshield glass, an outer front panel including a cowl portion and front pillar portions, said portions having an inturned flange extending around the ends and bottom of the windshield opening, said inturned flange being provided with anrextension attaching flange lying in contact withthe corresponding extension'flange on the inner panel, a'roof panel having a front end portion overlappin the upper portion of the inner front panel and joined to the pillar portions of the outer front panel, said roof panel having an attaching flange mating with the corresponding portion of the, inner panel extension flange around'the upper portion 'of the windshield opening, the pillar portions. of the outer panel and the roof panel being formed with outwardly-opening channels for the. insertion of door sealing material, said channels having flanges abutting corresponding flangeson the innet section for providing securing means to form box-like pillars;

' DONALD G. RENNO. 

